Bitcoin Surges Past $81K on Record ETF Inflows

Bitcoin reclaimed the $81,000 level as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs drew $730.9 million in net inflows, marking their largest single-day intake since January. The rally came as market participants reduced expectations for interest rate hikes, providing tailwinds for risk assets. Analysts at CryptoQuant flagged that despite the price recovery, fresh demand remains weak and Bitcoin faces a key technical test at the $83,000 level. One bitcoin now purchases approximately 18 ounces of gold, the highest ratio since January, reflecting Bitcoin's relative strength versus traditional safe-haven assets during the current rally.

Zcash jumped 20% to reach the landmark $1,000 level, leading a broad rally in privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. The surge triggered a short squeeze that resulted in $34 million in losses for short sellers betting against the token. Privacy coins outperformed the broader crypto market as Bitcoin cleared $81,000, with Zcash posting a 15% gain in one trading session. The rally in privacy-focused tokens came amid reduced interest rate hike expectations and improving risk sentiment across digital asset markets.

South Korea's financial regulator introduced a three-phase roadmap for tokenized securities issuance, targeting full implementation by February 2027 as the country prepares to adopt its first comprehensive tokenized assets framework. The U.S. and UK launched a joint alliance targeting crypto scam centers, with an agreement covering parallel investigations and information sharing; authorities plan a private-sector disruption operation in London scheduled for October. In a development affecting crypto banking infrastructure, U.S. banking regulators granted blockchain bank OpenReserve initial approval to operate. Meanwhile, AMC Entertainment CEO criticized Robinhood's ($HOOD) tokenized stock offerings as unregulated in the U.S. and announced plans to request an investigation from external securities counsel.

Coinbase ($COIN) appointed Anthony Armstrong, former CFO of xAI and X, to its board of directors as the crypto exchange expands beyond traditional digital-asset trading. Robinhood ($HOOD) CEO Vlad Tenev disclosed that the company's Trust Accounts, launched in August, have already accumulated over $150 million in assets, indicating significant early adoption. The company now operates 13 revenue lines generating above $100 million annually, demonstrating diversification beyond core brokerage operations. The International Monetary Fund confirmed that El Salvador's Bitcoin accumulation since June 2025, including a reported $100 million acquisition, was funded entirely through private donations rather than public money, addressing transparency concerns raised during previous reviews.

CleanSpark ($CLSK) is pivoting from Bitcoin mining toward AI infrastructure, highlighted by a $6.6 billion, 20-year lease agreement that positions the company for long-term revenue diversification. The strategic shift reflects broader trends among crypto miners seeking to leverage existing power infrastructure and data center capabilities for high-growth AI workloads. PayPal ($PYPL) accelerated its multi-year restructuring with job cuts in India and Ireland as part of plans targeting at least $1.5 billion in cost savings over the coming years, while emphasizing reinvestment into its evolution from a payments provider into a broader money management platform.